Water current or tide direction-of-flow indicator

ABSTRACT

In a preferred embodiment, a metallic coated loop thereby corrosion resistant, rigidly attached to a rigid float structure having an arrow supported thereabove indicating the direction in which the float is being dragged when the loop is looped around a piling in the water, the loop structure being preferably a hollow tube and thereby also buoyant, a major mass of the float being under the water surface to thereby gain the full effect of drag of the current while also thereby deterring any substantial effect of wind on the float and/or arrow, and the arrow preferably being coated with luminous paint and also with a light which may be compared with the light mounted on the beacon piling as a further indicator of the direction in which the current is flowing and is thus dragging the float.

United States Patent [191 Levy WATER CURRENT OR TIDE DIRECTION-OF-FLOW INDICATOR Inventor: Howard M. Levy, PO. Box 1150,

Coconut Grove, Miami, Fla. 33133 Filed: Feb. 1, 1974 Appl. No.: 438,652

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1929 Tice 73/189 ll/l963 Marks et al...... 73/170 A 10/1972 Olson 73/189 Mar. 11, 1975 Primary Examiner-Donald O. Woodie] [57] ABSTRACT In a preferred embodiment, a metallic coated loop thereby corrosion resistant, rigidly attached to a rigid float structure having an arrow supported thereabove indicating the direction in which the float is being dragged when the loop is looped around a piling in the water, the loop structure being preferably a hollow tube and thereby also buoyant, a major mass of the float being under the water surface to thereby gain the full effect of drag of the current while also thereby deterring any substantial effect of wind on the float and- /or arrow, and the arrow preferably being coated with luminous paint and also with a light which may be compared with the light mounted on the beacon piling as a further indicator of the direction in which the current is flowing and is thus dragging the float.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures WATER CURRENT OR TIDE DIRECTION-OF-FLOW INDIQATOR This invention is directed to a novel tide and currentdirection-of-flow indicator.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Prior to the present invention, the present inventor as well as many other yacht and boating vessel owners who navigate waterways such as the intercoastal waterway extending up and down the east coast of the United States, as well as navigators required to negotiate other waters having equally prescribed and hazardous channels, have been continually confronted with the prob lems and hazards of succesfully negotiating and remaining in the channel particularly because of the effect of current and/or tide water-flow having a major effect on the resultant direction of movement of the steered craft in the water. The problem is less troublesome and hazardous during daylight hours than at nighttime when the direction of flow of the surrounding water is less discernable to the searching eye.

As a result of misjudgement or total lack of knowledge of direction of current flow, many such yachts or the like become grounded or hit obstructions to one extent or another resulting in structural damage to the vessel and/or difficulty in getting-off of the shoal or bar or other obstruction, and/or loss of time as well as the cause of undue frustration and danger to life and limb. The situation is worsened by the presence of many inexperienced boatsmen attempting to negotiate such channels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, objects of the present invention include the overcoming and/or avoiding and/or obviating one or more difficulties and/or problems and/or hazards of the type discussed above, together with the obtaining of new and desirable advantages.

Another object is to obtain a tide-indicator means easily discernable and/or not subject to becoming snagged or entangled or otherwise non-functional as a result of shifting tides and/or currents and/or trash over extended periods of time.

Another object is to obtain a water-flow current or tide indicator of simple construction and utilizable of low-cost but durable materials.

Another object is to obtain a tide or current indicator easily discernable during darkened hours of early morning, evening, and night.

Other objects become apparent from the preceding and following disclosure.

One or more objects of the present invention are obtained by the invention as defined herein.

Broadly the present invention includes a float structure with attaching structure attached thereto for anchoring the float structure with the attachment to the float structure being such that as a result of the drag effect of the moving tide or current the float structure is maintained substantially always in a down-current direction relative to the pile or anchor or the like to which the float structure is attached to or around, with there being a visually discernable direction-ofalignment of the float indicative of the direction of flow of the tide, preferably the invention including various elements as follows. Such preferred elementsinclude, as the attaching element, a loop of preferably light metal or plastic preferably of tubular form of sturdy noncorrodable material or coated or treated with noncorrodable finish, but the loop being of any conventional or desired type, which is securable in a looped fashion around a post or piling standing erectly within the water, preferably a marker post or marker buoy. The float structure is preferably rigidly secured to the rigid loop or hook structure, and has an arrow or other equivalent conventional direction-indicator pointing in the direction of current flow or in the direction from which current is flowing, as the case may be, preferably pointing in the direction of current flow or movement. In further preferred embodiments, there are included one or more of a light bulb and battery, or other lighting mechanism on the float and/or particularly preferably reflective material or composition on the arrow surface such that a light shone thereon in darkness will indicate clearly by reflected light the direction in which the arrow is pointing as indicative of the direction of flow of water current or tide. It is also contemplated and preferred that there be a luminescent composition such as a fluorescent or phosphorescent-like composition on the arrow structure such that the arrow and its direction of alignment are easily discernable within darkness with or without light shining thereon, one or both. Preferably the float structure is of a size and shape such that all of the structure is located beneath the water surface in order to obviate substantially any otherwise significant effect of wind, and also in order to gain the maximum drag-effect of the tidal or current waters on the float structure. For the same reason the arrow is held to a minimum mass and a minimum aircollecting shape, to prevent wind from being caught thereby, which wind would otherwise make the indicator less than accurate during breezy or windy weather.

THE FIGURES FIG. 1 illustrates a side elevation plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, including a pile on which the hoop is necessarily looped around.

FIG. 2 illustrates a view of the embodiment of FIG.

1 as taken along lines 2-2 thereof, in effect being an DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In greater detail, FIG. 1 illustrates a typical pile 4 having a beacon light 5 thereon with a beacon number indicator 6 mounted on the pile within the water 7. The float structure which is the primary invention obviously requires an anchoring structure such as the pile 4, but would also function but less effectively by having for example an anchor in the mud with a connecting line extending therebetween. In a preferred embodiment of the FIGS. 1 through 3, the attaching hoop or loop structure 9 of FIGS. 1 and 2 is secured circumscribingly around the pile 4. Accordingly, as preferred, the loop structure 9 is a rigid hoop of suitable material such as a non-corrodable tube but sufficiently sturdy to withstand prolonged use over a period of years, such loop stru'cture having the advantage against any probable possibility of entanglement or otherewise becoming obstructed against free rotation around the pile with changes in tide or current flow, against problemmakers such as trash or drifting debris. In a similar manner, although it is possible that the float structure may be loosely attached to the attaching loop structure 9, as for example the float structure 10 possibly being flexible or flexiblyattached at one end thereof so that the end being dragged by the current nevertheless indicates with its arrow the direction of flow of the current, it 'is preferred for most efficient operation thatthe structure 10 be rigid such as of plastic, cork or noncorrodable metal or the like, whereby the entire float device of the attaching loop 9 and the float l serve to increase the accuracy and responsiveness of the direction in which thearrow 14 is pointing, of the arrow support 12, with preferably a reflector or light 13 at a peak thereof.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, there is provided a coating 16 of composition which is'any one or more of reflective, phosphorescent, or the like, or otherwise lighted such that a battery or light beam shone thereon cause the arrow to be discernable within darkness. Also contemplated is a generator such as a paddle-wheel generator with the paddles or the like extending from the bottom or:side of the float (not illustrated) in any conventional or desired manner.

Thereby, as in the illustrated preferred embodiment, irrespective of the direction of flow of the current or tide and independent of wind direction, the entire structure of elements 9 and 10 are dragged by the action of the water on the float 10 which has a majority of its mass below the water surface 8 responsive to the direction and/or change of direction of water flow of tide or current, with the arrow thereof being readily discernable and readable during both day and night hours by and to the navigator of a vessel as viewed from a distance. As shown in the Figures, the structure 10 is substantially devoid of any wind engaging mass above the water surface 8, such as the minimal sized support structure 12, and arrow 14.

It is within the scope of the present invention to make such changes and variations and substitution of equivalents as would be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in this field.

I. claim:

1. A water current-flow direction indicator device comprising in combination: an anchoring means for anchoring a float against being swept away by a moving water current; a float means including a buoyant structure including an attaching element secured to the anchoring means, the attaching element being located on the buoyant structure in a position such that the-buoyant. structure always assumes a predetermined givenposition relative to the direction of flow of the water current; a visually discernable indicator means for indicating the direction in which the buoyant structure is positioned as a result of the effect of water current on the buoyant structure.

2. A water current-flow direction indicator device of claim 1, in which the indicator means includes an arrow structure pointing in the direction of current flow.

3. A water current-flow direction indicator device of claim 2, in which the anchoring means is a rigid loop structure revolvably engagable around a substantially upright pile structure and virtually secured to the attaching element of the float means such that the loop structure and the float means always maintain a predetermined position one relative to the other and such that the loop structure is revolvable freely around the pile structure, as a result of drag effect of water current on the float means.

4. A water current-flow direction indicator device of claim 3, in which the arrow structure includes supporting structure supporting an arrow element well above the float means and positioned where it is easily seen from a distance and including light-yielding means thereon.

5. A water current-flow direction indicator device of claim 4, in which the light-yielding means includes reflective composition coated upon an outer surface of the arrow structure.

6. A water current-flow direction indicator device of claim 4, in which the light-yielding means includes phosphorescent composition-like material of a type glowable in the dark.

7. A water current-flow direction indicator device of claim 4, including electrically powered light-producing means.

8. A water current-flow direction indicator device of claim 4, in which the float means is a rigid structure, in which a major proportion of the float means is located below water level, and in which the arrow structure is of a predetermined small mass such that wind direction and force will have a minimal effect on the position of the float means in the water. 

1. A water current-flow direction indicator device comprising in combination: an anchoring means for anchoring a float against being swept away by a moving water current; a float means including a buoyant structure including an attaching element secured to the anchoring means, the attaching element being located on the buoyant structure in a position such that the buoyant structure always assumes a predetermined given-position relative to the direction of flow of the water current; a visually discernable indicator means for indicating the direction in which the buoyant structure is positioned as a result of the effect of water current on the buoyant structure.
 1. A water current-flow direction indicator device comprising in combination: an anchoring means for anchoring a float against being swept away by a moving water current; a float means including a buoyant structure including an attaching element secured to the anchoring means, the attaching element being located on the buoyant structure in a position such that the buoyant structure always assumes a predetermined given-position relative to the direction of flow of the water current; a visually discernable indicator means for indicating the direction in which the buoyant structure is positioned as a result of the effect of water current on the buoyant structure.
 2. A water current-flow direction indicator device of claim 1, in which the indicator means includes an arrow structure pointing in the direction of current flow.
 3. A water current-flow direction indicator device of claim 2, in which the anchoring means is a rigid loop structure revolvably engagable around a substantially upright pile structure and virtually secured to the attaching element of the float means such that the loop structure and the float means always maintain a predetermined position one relative to the other and such that the loop structure is revolvable freely around the pile structure, as a result of drag effect of water current on the float means.
 4. A water current-flow direction indicator device of claim 3, in which the arrow structure includes supporting structure supporting an arrow element well above the float means and positioned where it is easily seen from a distance and including light-yielding means thereon.
 5. A water current-flow direction indicator device of claim 4, in which the light-yielding means includes reflective composition coated upon an outer surface of the arrow structure.
 6. A water current-flow direction indicator device of claim 4, in which the light-yielding means includes phosphorescent composition-like material of a type glowable in the dark.
 7. A water current-flow direction indicator device of claim 4, including electrically powered light-producing means. 